Worries surfacing about next year's tax referendum

Given a bad economy, surly voters and “turmoil” in the school district, the head of the Pinellas teachers union said Thursday she’s worried about next year’s vote on a $30 million property tax referendum that boosts teacher salaries and brings in vital dollars for arts, music and technology. “I’m very concerned,” union president Kim Black told the St. Petersburg Times editorial board.

Black noted the anti-tax mood, then added: “When all of this turmoil is happening — whether it’s the budget, negotiations (between the district and the union), the issues with the superintendent — all of those things create a lack of confidence, I believe, in the public school system.” Read more here.

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Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.